Machine for covering eyeglass-cases.



W. P.-DEVINE.

MACHINE FOR COVERING EYEGLASS GASES.

APPLICATION FILED HAY 21, 1906. Patented July 5,1910.

2 SHEETS-BEBE! 1.

\THE NORRIS PETERS co., wnsnmcrou. n. c.

W. P. DEVINE. MACHINE FOR covnnme EYEGLASS 0A$ES.

APPLIOATiON TILED MAY 21, 1906.

Patented July 5,1910.

2 SHEETS-BEBE! Z.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. DEVINE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO ORIENT MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

MACHINE FOR COVERING EYEGLASS-CASES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 5, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. DEVINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Covering Eyeglass-Cases, (No. 1;) and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for covering eyeglass cases.

The object of the invention is to produce an improved machine for applying leather or other covering material to the outside surface of an eyeglass case, the illustrated embodiment of the invention being particularly adapted for applying and aflixing the covering material to the cover portion of an eyeglass case consisting of a body of sheet metal and a sheet metal cover hinged thereon.

The invention consists in the improved machine for covering eyeglass cases hereinafter described, as defined in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine for covering eyeglass cases embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bed and the die upon which the eyeglass case is pressed against the covering material; Figs. 3, 1, and 5 are vertical sections showing the plunger and die in various positions during the operation of the machine, and Fig. 6 is a bottom View of the plunger.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention is designed particularly for applying the covering material to the cover of an eyeglass case, the die and plunger shown in the drawings being shaped to conform to the interior and exterior surfaces of the cover, and it is intended to affix the covering material to the body of the eyeglass case in another operation performed by another and somewhat diiferent machine.

The machine of the drawings comprises a plunger 1 and a die 2 between which the eyeglass case and the sheet of covering material are pressed together. The plunger is fixed to a slide 3 sliding on vertical ways a on the overhanging frame 5 of the machine. The Slide is actuated by a toggle 6 which may be bent and straightened by a hand lever 7 connected to the frame 5 by a link 8. When the handle is drawn forward and downward by the operator the toggle is straightened and the plunger is moved toward the die. A spring 9 holds the plunger normally in raised position, and a vertically-adjustable block 10, to which the upper end of the toggle is pivoted, affords means for adjusting the distance between the die and the plunger when the latter is in its lowermost position.

The plunger 1 is provided with two clips 11 fixed to a bar 12 pivotally mounted upon the plunger by ears engaging screws 13. A spring 14 located in a recess in the plunger body tends to hold the clips against the side of the plunger in the position of the drawings so that when the cover of an eyeglass case is pressed against the lower surface of the plunger by the operator the case will be held upon the plunger by the engagement of the lower hooked ends of the clips with the hinge of the eyeglass case, as shown in Fig. 3. The plunger is provided also with a recess 15 to receive the spring by which the cover of the eyeglass case is normally held closed.

The die 2 is made in three portions, comprising a central portion 16, an inclosing member 17, and a presser-bar 18. The member 17 is movable vertically with respect to the central member 16, being free to slide thereon, and is provided with a recess 19 at each end. The bed plate 20, upon which the die is supported, is provided at each end with a bar 21 sliding in a groove 22 in the bed plate, the bar being held in place by cover plates 23, and these bars are provided with upwardly-extending lugs 24 and with laterally-extending pins 25 pass ing through slots in the cover plates 23. This arrangement alfords means by which the member 17 of the die may be held in raised position resting upon the lugs 24:, while the bars 21 may be drawn forward by the operator by means of the pins 25 when it is necessary to lower the part 17 so that the lugs 24 may be received in the recess 19 in the ends of the part 17 to permit it to fall. When the part 17 is in lowered position its upper surface is substantially flush with that of the central part 16 of the die.

The presser bar 18 serves to aflix the covering material to the hinged portion of the the top of the die member 17 secured therein by screws 27. The forward ends, of"

thefplates 26 ekteiidl over the recessinwh ich' i l the presser bar is. located and engage recesses in the upper surface of the presser bar whenthe latter is in its uppermost position.

"The Epresser baris provided with an upward extension. 28 at each endto prevent longitudinaldisplacement of thebar during its vertical movements. The presser bar is supported by springs 29'which hold it normally in raised position. ,T-he central portionof the presser bar has an upwardly extending lip 30 whichoperates topress the covering material into the angle of the hinged portion of the eyeglass case, and the presserbar isalsoprovided on its upper: surface with a depression3l which aftordsa space for slack covering material to'allow for the opening and closing of the eyeglass case. The presser bar is also provided with two up; wardly extending lugs 32 which extend above the'lip 3Q and are used as gages to assist in properly locating the sheet of cove'ri-ng material upon the die. V i V Means are provided for retaining the presser bar in depressed position, these means comprising hooks 33 pivoted upon the endsof the die an'dfconnectedv by arms 84 and a rod 35 which serves asa handle by whichthe operator may swing the hooks forward to release the presser bar.

The operation of this machine is performed as follows; The foperator raises the die member 17 and pushes the pins 25 back .1 so, as to retain it and then laysa' sheet of covering material, which has been out to the proper shape, upon. the die, using the gages 32, which engage the recesses at thehinge portion of the covering material, to'properly locate [the material.

The operator then ap- "plies the eyeglass case to the plunger,-ag'ainst Whichflit is heldby the clips 11, and depresses the plunger by means of the hand lever7, thereby pressing the cover of -thejeye-- glass case firmly against the covering material has been previously spread with alzsuitableadhesive, and in this manner "the covering material is applied smoothly to the cover of thefeyeglass case. At the commencement of the operation the presser bar 18 is held inraisedposition by the spring 29, and it therefore yie dinglyengages the cover ingmaterial and presses it intothea'ngle formed byILthe members ofthe; eyeglass case.

During thepressing operation the presser bar-{is depressed and the hooks 33 engage ends so as to hold it down whenfthe' plunger is raised by the "operator; After raisingthe plunger the operator draws the pins '25 forward, thereby allowing the-die 17to fall to the position of Fig. 4. This permits the operator to bend inward .against'th'e' inside' of the eyeglass-case the upwardly-projecting margin 36of the covering material. The

operator then lowers the plunger again to aifix this margin to the interior surface of the eyeglass case, and then draws forward the bar 35, thereby releasing the presser bar. The presser bar is immediately raised by the springs 29 and frees theeyeglass case from the die, as shownin Fig. 5, sothat it may be readily removed by. the operator.

' Although. the invention has been described in connection with a machine for attaching covering material to the cover portion of an eyeglass case, it will be understood that it may be also adapted, by slight modifications in the forms of the operating members, to operate upon/the body portion of an eyeglasscase, and the invention is not, in general, limited to the details of construction and operation of the illustrated embodiment, but may beembodied in other forms broadly defined inithe claims.

. Havingnow described the invention, what is claimed is:

' 1. A machine for covering eyeglass cases, having, in combination, .a d1e formed to receive an eyeglass case and press the covering material thereagains't, a plunger for ressing the eyeglass case against the die, an means for holding the eyeglass'case upon the plunger; substantially as described.

1.2. A machine .for covering eyeglass cases, having, in combination, a die formed to receive an eyeglass case and press the covering material .thereagainst, a plunger ,for pressing the eyeglass caseagainst the die, and means connected with the hmger for engaging the hinge portion of the eeglass caseto hold the case against the. p unger, substantially as described.

; v.3. Amachine' for covering eyeglass cases, having in combination, a plunger for engaging; the inside of an eyeglass case, and a cooperating die 'for pressing covering material against the outsideof vthe case, provided with a part formed to crease the material and apply it to the hinge portion of the case, substantially as described.

4. A machine for covering eyeglass cases,

terial against the outside. o t-the case, anda spring supported independently -'movable presser-bar for pressing the covering material against the hinge portion of the case, substantially as described.

6. A machine for covering eyeglass cases, having, in combination a plunger for engaging the inside of an eyeglass case, a 00- operating die for pressing the covering material against the outside of the case, and an independently-movable presser bar provided With a lip to press the covering material against the hinge portion of the case and a depression to receive slack covering material, substantially as described.

7 A machine for covering eyeglass cases, having, in combination a plunger for engaging the inside of an eyeglass case and a cooperating die comprising a central mem her for bending up the margin of the covering material and an inclosing member, the tWo members of the die being relatively movable and having provision for fixing them in different relative positions, substantially as described.

8. A machine for covering eyeglass cases, having, in combination, a plunger for engaging the inside of an eyeglass case, a cooperating die comprising a fixed central member and a vertically movable outside member and means for fixing the outside member in raised position, substantially as described.

9. A machine for covering eyeglass cases, having, in combination, a plunger for engaging the inside of an eyeglass case, a cooperating die for pressing the covering material against the outside of the case, and gages arranged to engage the recesses of the hinge portion of the sheet of covering material properly on the die, substantially as described.

10. A machine for covering eyeglass cases, having, in combination, a plunger for en gaging the inside of an eyeglass case, a cooperating die, a spring-supported presser for pressing the covering material against the hinge portion of the case, and means for retaining the presser in retracted position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature,

in presence of two Witnesses.

WM. P. DEVINEJ Witnesses:

ALFRED H. HILDRETH, HORACE VAN EVEREN. 

